The murder of Thomas Becket
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe Henry II's conflict with Thomas Becket and explain the impacts this had on Church and crown.
Key learning points
- Henry had his son crowned during Thomas Becket's absence from England.
- Becket returned and excommunicated the bishops involved in the coronation.
- Becket was murdered by four of Henry's knights.
- The king’s reaction to Becket's murder reveals the extent of power the Church held across Europe.
- Becket's murder ultimately strengthened the king's control over the Church.
Keywords
Excommunicated - when someone is excommunicated they are expelled from the Catholic Church by the Pope
Cathedral - a cathedral is a large and impressive church that contains the seat of a bishop
Martyr - a martyr is someone who dies for their beliefs
Penance - penance is to punish yourself to seek God’s forgiveness for a sin
Pilgrimage - a pilgrimage is a religious journey, usually taken to a shrine or a site of religious importance
Common misconception
The murder of Thomas Becket was the undoing of Henry II.
Long-term it increased Henry’s control over the Church. Bishops’ opposition decreased, while the Pope gave support after 1172.
Teacher tip
Pupils will enjoy writing a gruesome report about the murder of Thomas Becket. Make sure this does not obscure the wider lesson outcome regarding the relations between Church and crown.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What gave the Church spiritual authority over people in medieval England?
Q2.In medieval England, what did the Church's power often rival?
Q3.Why did Henry II attempt to reform the Church in England?
Q4.Why did Henry II appoint Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury?
Q5.What were the Constitutions of Clarendon?
Q6.Select the reasons why Becket resisted Henry’s reforms of the Church.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Write the missing word. Henry II had his son Henry the King crowned as King of England early.
Q2.According to Becket's argument, who should have carried out the coronation of the Young King?
Q3.Why did four knights decide to confront and murder Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral?
Q4.In the short term, how did the murder of Becket affect Henry II's kingdom and his position as king?
Q5.How did Henry respond to Thomas Becket’s murder? Select two responses.
Q6.In the long term, how did the murder of Becket impact Henry II's control over the English Church?
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: The murder of Thomas Becket, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: The murder of Thomas Becket, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the England under Henry II: how successfully did Henry reassert royal authority? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.